Platen-press gauge



spx. 23. am. l n 1,509,233

a. fr. GARDNER A PLATE" PRESS GAUGE Fixed Auz. 31. 1923` INVENTOR.

BY LLUIS T- EHRNEH.

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 23, 1924.

UNITED stares LEWIS T. GARDNER, or OAKLAND, oaifronlvrli.

PLATEN-PRESS GAUGE.

Application filed-August 31, 1923. Serial No. 660,401.

TouZZy whom it muy concern.' l

Be it known that LLEWIS TAYLOR GARD- Nn1t, .a citizen ofthe UnitedStates,residing at Oakland, in the 'county of 4-lalnieda and State oflaliflornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Platen-PressGauges of which the following is Va specir cation.

`'This invention relates to improvements in platen press gauges andhasparticular reference to a gauge adapted to be attac-hed to the `tympanpaper of a 4printing press for the A.purpose of aligning a sheet ofpaper upon which animpressionis to be made.

`The principal object of'y this invention is to produce a gauge Which issturdy in construction, simpleto manufacture and Well Within thepurchase price of the average user. y p, .p 1

ystill further object is to produce a gauge which when positioned uponthe `tympan paper Will not become displaced.

Another object is to provide means Whereby it is'impossible for thepaper being fed to the gauges to become caught in the same.

Another object is to provide an adjustable retaining finger which willmaintain itself at all times in an adjusted position.

Other objects and advantages Will be ap-` parent during the course 'ofthe following descri tion. l

In t e accompanying drawings forming a part of .this specification, andin which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughoutthe same,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary vieuT of a tynr pan sheet having my gaugesatached thereto and retaining a sheet to be printed,

Figure 2 is a vertical cross section of my device in unlocked position,

Figure 8 is aV vertical cross section of my device in a reversedposition and locked to v a tympan sheet,

Figure 4 is a side elevation of one of the retaining fingers,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the. linger retaining block,

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the clamping member, and t Figure 7 isa perspective view' of the clamping cam.

Many gauges have been devised, Which gauges often failed to accomplishtheir purpose through insufficient clamping and consequent slipping o-fthe paper; they have also, in many instances, failed through the factthat the paper being fed would become caught -in the gauge and in manyinstances have been of such Weak construction that they have been easilybent or crushed.

Al have therefore sought to produce a gauge which is of sturdyconstruction, one which may be easily locked and one ivhere it isimposible for the paper being fed` to become caught. t Y

In the accompanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration isshown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designatesthe tympan sheet and thenumeral 6 the sheet of 'paper being fed to thepress, While.v at 7 l have shown a bloc-k having a dove-tail groove 8formed in vthe upper surface thereof. This block has its rear portionprovided with an over-hang 9, the purpose of which Will be later seen.

A curved retaining finger 11 is adapted to be slidably held in thedove-taily-groove Sas shovvn in F igurcs 1, 2 and 3. The clamping member12 is formed of a flat portion having an upturned end 13, and upturnedside pieces 14 and 16. These side pieces are each provided with a slotas shown at 17 and 18 for the reception of the reduced portions 19 and21 of the clamping cam 22.

A pivot. pin 23 serves to secure the block 7 to the clamping'member 12and at the same time the over-hang portion 9 of the block 7 serves toretain theclamping cam Within the slots 17 and 18. An operating handle24 formed integral with the cam 22 serves to manipulate the same.

The pin 23 is provided with a head 26 (see F 1). This head is adapted tolie between the side piece 16 and the operating lever 24. This.arrangement prevents the accidental removal of the pin and yet permitsof a reversal of the operating lever as Will be later shown.

In operation a slit is made in the tympan paper as shown at 27, throughwhich the curved end 13 of the clamping member 12 is placed. This bringsthe block 8 upon the top of the tympan paper and after the same has beenmoved to an adjusted position the lever 24 is moved from the positionshown in Figure 2 to that shown in Figure 3 so as to cause the cam 22 toabut the over-hang 8 and the rear end of the clamping member 12, thusefficiently clamping the portion of tympan paper between the block andthe clamping member.

By viewing Figure 3, it will be noted that the curved portion 13 causesthe tympan paper to curve upward slightly with the result that any sheetfed will abut against the end of the block 7 and cannot therefore becomecaught.

The fngerll may now be adjusted by moving the same in the dove-tail slotin accordance with the wishes of the operator. Should the operatordesire to reverse the clamp so as tobring the operating lever upon theopposite side of the gauge he moves the lever to the vertical positionof -Figure 2, removes the pin 23 lifts the block 7 and reverses theposition of the cam so that the operating lever will lie upon theopposite side of the clamping member. The

parts are again replaced in such a manner that the head 26 of the pin 23will be on the side adjacent the operating lever.

It will thus be seen that I have provided asimple clamp and one whichwill accom-` plish all of the objects above set forth.A i.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be 4taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted tol without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

a block having a dove-tail slot formed vinv the upper surface thereof, acurved finger slidable in the dove-tail slot, anover-hang formed on saidblock, a clamping plate pivoted to said block, a cam interposed betweensaid clamping plate and said over-hang and means for operating said camfor the purpose of moving said clamping plate toward said block througha greater portion of its length.

3. In a gauge of the Character' described, a block having' adove-tailslot formed in the upper surface thereof, a curved finger slidable inthe dove-tail slot, an over-hang formed on said block, a clamping platepivoted to said block, a cam interposed between saidv clamping plate andsaid over-hang,` means for operating said cam for the purpose of movingsaid clamping plate toward said block through a greater portion of itslength, said clamping plate havingits forward end curved toward saidlfinger.

In testimony whereof I affixpmy signature.

nnwis T. GARDNEa :sol

